


Paler Matters

by thegeekgene



Series: Wash It Out [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 20:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4113499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegeekgene/pseuds/thegeekgene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his date with Karkat, Tavros goes to see his moirails.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paler Matters

Aradia and Sollux are waiting when Tavros shows up after class on Thursday, Aradia abuzz with curiosity, Sollux with amused impatience.

“How did it go?” she asks, springing up from the couch.

Sollux, in the armchair with his laptop, says, “I can’t believe you didn’t know we were moirails.”

Tavros, accepting a hug from Aradia, hides his burning face in her hair.

“Shoosh, Sollux, we can talk about that later,” she says. “I want to hear about his date.”

“No,” Sollux says. “Seriously, AA, how do you miss something like that? I can see not realizing for a week or something but it’s been two years. You owe me anniversary presents, dipshit.”

“S--Sorry,” Tavros says. “I just thought you guys were -- being friendly. Or didn't want me to feel left out. Or, uh, something.”

“We asked you to move in with us,” Aradia points out and pulls back to grin at him. Her dimples are deadly, her smile so wide, and he can’t help smiling back. “I thought that would tip you off, personally, but not our Tavros.” She sounds fond. “Too busy thinking everyone’s being nice for the sake social propriety to notice anyone’s interested in him.”

“Or that he’s been dating someone for a _sweep_ ,” Sollux says, slipping briefly into Alternian. “And since when have I cared about propriety? I wouldn’t have given you a key if I weren’t pale as fuck for you, fuck!”

Tavros accepts the berating as his due.

“Yeah, I’m really, uh, sorry about that,” he says. “A lot of things more more sense, now. In retrospect.”

“I should hope so,” says Sollux. He puts his laptop on the coffee table and stands. “Didn’t know we were moirails, how dense do you have to be?” He comes over and slips an arm around each of them, a comfortable gesture. Come to think of it, Sollux has never been affectionate with anyone but Aradia and Feferi, his matesprit. And Tavros. Tavros is feeling dumber by the second.

Aradia takes the opportunity to drag them both into a three-way hug, knocking Sollux and Tavros’s heads together as she does.

“Ow! AA, fuck!”

“Moirail cuddles are best when everyone knows what’s going on,” she says from somewhere around Tavros’s shoulder. She’s short for a troll, barely five foot four, and her body is soft and curvaceous against him. Sollux is nearly as tall as Tavros, maybe an inch between them, and his bony frame makes a pleasant contrast on the other side. Tavros puts his arms around them both and squeezes hard enough to make Sollux wheeze.

“Jesus fuck, TV, stop that!” He flails to get free. “Stop it! Cuddle time is over, now!”

Aradia laughs, deep and clear, and Tavros laughs with her. As one, they squeeze tighter.

“Cuddle time is never over!” she says. “It’s only put on pause for potty breaks and food. Do you need to potty, Sollux?”

“Yes,” Sollux says. “I will piss all over both of you if you don’t let go!”

“Oooo, kinky,” she says, then lifts her head to smile at Tavros again. “Should we let him go?”

Tavros pretends to consider it.

“As much as I feel that this is, uh, a relationship milestone, by which I mean me realizing that we, uh, have a relationship, and it should be marked, I think I would like it to not be so literal?”

“Aw, okay,” Aradia says. “No watersports, today.”

“Thank god,” Sollux says as they both let go. He rubs his sides. “You two are freakishly strong.”

“You’re just a weenie,” Aradia says. “Now, go potty. We still haven’t heard about his date!”

“Oh, god,” says Tavros.

“Oh, yes,” says Sollux. “With KK, even, I can’t believe it. Wait for me.” He hurries off.

Left alone, Tavros and Aradia hug, again, then sit together on the couch, him in the middle, her at one end, delicate little feet tucked under his thigh.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t realize,” he tells her, hooking a hand around her ankle. She’s wearing a fluffy black skirt with a deep red top and no shoes. She pats his arm.

“I’m sure you can make it up to us somehow,” she says.

Tavros smiles. “Will dinner be good enough?” he asks. “We could go to Simply Troll.”

It’s her favorite restaurant in the city, a little on the pricy side for college students, but it serves authentic Alternian food from both hemispheres. She has a weakness for East Alternian food.

“That would be an excellent start,” she agrees.

When Sollux returns, she beams at him.

“We’re going to Simply Troll on Friday,” she says. “Tavros is paying.”

“Shit, yeah,” says Sollux and drops onto the couch on his other side. “And we’re getting gelato after. Also on you.”

“Am I, uh, forgiven? If we do that?”

“We’ll see,” Aradia says. “And I think we should dress nicely. Sollux, you’ve still got your suit from the Quadrant’s Ball, right?”

“Ugh. Do we have to?”

“Yes,” she says. “It’s our first official pale date. It should be an event.”

Sollux gives a theatrical sigh but Tavros thinks he looks happy.

“Fine,” Sollux says. “We will be fancy as fuck. Now I want to hear about this date. Out of all the people on campus, how’d you end up with Karkat?”

“Ah.” Tavros says and shifts a little in his seat. “I don’t exactly, uh, know? It just kinda happened. We were in the laundry room and we started talking and he was so, uh, pitiful? And then we made out?”

The other two burst into laughter and Tavros feels his face stain brown.

“Moving pretty fast, there,” Sollux says.

“Yeah,” he says. “I guess? I was, uh, thinking about what Aradia told me. About going for what I want, even if I’m scared of being rejected. I was pretty scared of being rejected,” he adds. “But he’s -- so pretty.”

Aradia coos while Sollux laughs again.

“Damn,” he says. “You’ve got it bad. “No one has ever called KK _pretty_.”

“Well, he is,” Tavros insists. “And, uh, pretty pathetic, too. He tries so hard.”

“Yeah, he definitely does that,” Aradia agrees.

“Did he call you a fuckass?” Sollux asks.

“I don’t think so? There was a lot of, uh, profanity flying around. Oh, he called me incompetent, and insulted my clothes.

Sollux snickers.

Aradia says, “Truly, a storybook romance.”

“What about the date?” Sollux asks. “Did he taunt your interior design?”

Tavros’s dorm room is decorated with posters of both Pupa and Peter Pan, as well as framed Fiduspawn cards. They’re worth a lot of money.

“Uh, yes,” he says. “Actually.”

Sollux cracks up, again.

“And then we, uh, watched Notting Hill,” Tavros continues. “And then he put on, ‘In Which a Lowblood Merchant of Voyage Handbooks Encounters a Highblood Vid Star, Etc.” For comparison. They’re, uh. Pretty similar.”

He’s still a little confused by the course the date took. He really wasn’t expecting a comparative film discussion.

Sollux says, “Ehehe. Yeah, that sounds like KK. Did you pail?”

Tavros flares bronze and Aradia laughs.

“Sollux!” she says.

“Come on, AA, like you weren’t thinking the same thing.”

“I admit nothing,” she says, but her grin is teasing and her russet eyes sparkle.

Tavros buries his face in his hands.

“Ehehe, you totally did,” Sollux says. “Way to go, TV, how was it?”

“No,” Tavros says.

“Did you really?” asks Aradia. “On the first date?”

“No!” Tavros says again.

“No, you didn’t, or no, you’re not going to talk about it?” she says.

“Yes,” he tells his palms. “No. Both.”

“Aw.” She pats his knee. “It’s okay. We’re not going to think less of you. Even if it is a little fast.”

“But we didn’t!” Tavros says. “We just -- we watched movies!”

“And that’s all?” Sollux says, somehow both skeptical and disappointed.

“Well -- no,” Tavros admits. He can still remember the heat of Karkat’s body, the bluntness of his teeth, his slick mouth and hard, calloused hands. Those aren’t things he wants to think about with his moirails right there.

“Knew it,” Sollux says. “Did you call him pretty? He’s stupid romantic, he’ll swoon if you call him pretty. And bite you a little.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” Aradia asks, amused.

“You’d know if I were. No, I talked to Terezi. They dated for a while. Wanted to know what my palemate was in for. She gave me _way_ too much information.” He knocks his shoulder into Tavros’s. “Should I tell you?”

“Please don’t,” Tavros says.

“Of course not,” adds Aradia. “He wants to find out for himself! It’s an adventure!”

Tavros groans and they laugh at him again.

“I, uh, really hate you guys, sometimes,” he says.

“Beastshit,” says Sollux and Aradia leans in to kiss his burning cheek.

“So, no pailing,” she says. “What did you do?”

“Movies, mostly,” he says. “And we, uh, kissed some.”

Made out might be a better term. There was some dry humping. He isn’t going to say that, but from the way they both grin he suspects they know.

“Our little boy,” Aradia says to Sollux. “All grown up.”

“And dating giant assholes,” Sollux agrees. “I think you raised him wrong.”

“Karkat is one of your best friends,” she points out.

“Yeah, so I know him really well. Giant fucking asshole. But I agree he’s pretty pathetic.”

Tavros looks over at him. He’s not sure what his face is doing but it makes Sollux snort.

“I’m not moving in on him,” he says. “Though I can’t promise I won’t go black on him if he hurts you.”

“So you _do_ think he’s pretty,” Aradia says.

“Eh.” Sollux shrugs. “Attractive, sure. I wouldn’t say pretty.”

Aradia pats Tavros’s knee. Possibly he’s still making faces.

“Well, your opinion doesn’t matter,” she says. “Since you’re not the one quadranted with him. Tavros is.”

“I think you’re the one that’s moving, uh, kind of fast,” Tavros says. “We aren’t -- We haven’t -- There’s only been one date.”

“Will there be another?” Aradia asks.

“Uh.” He hesitates. “Yes. On Saturday. The classic theater is showing Annie Hall.”

“Ehehe,” Sollux says. “Whipped.”

 

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling adiostoreador [AT]

CG: DID YOU TALK TO THEM?  
AT: tO WHO,  
CG: JESUS, IS THAT YOUR QUIRK? REALLY?  
AT: iS THERE SOMETHING, wRONG WITH IT,  
CG: NO, NEVERMIND. FORGET I ASKED.  
CG: SOLLUX AND ARADIA, OBVIOUSLY. DID YOU TALK TO THEM?  
AT: oH, uH, yES, i DID, i’M ACTUALLY WITH THEM, rIGHT NOW,  
CG: PLEASE TELL ME YOU AREN’T TROLLING ME FROM A PILE. IT WOULD BE FLATTERING, SURE, BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT FUCKING WEIRD.  
CG: GRANTED THE WHOLE THREE-WAY MOIRALLEGIANCE THING SEEMS WEIRD TO ME, SO WHAT DO I KNOW? MAYBE YOU’RE JUST INTO QUADRANT SMEARING. WHICH, IF THAT IS THE CASE, PLEASE DON’T TRY IT WITH ME. SEMI-PUBLIC EMOTIONAL MELTDOWNS ASIDE, I HAVE NO INTEREST IN JAMMING WITH YOU.  
AT: tHAT’S FINE, i DON’T THINK I AM, rEALLY,  
AT: iNTO QUADRANT SMEARING, i MEAN, sOLLUX AND ARADIA JUST KIND OF, uH, hAPPENED, i GUESS,  
AT: aND WE’RE NOT IN A PILE, i WOULDN’T DO THAT, aRADIA IS MAKING DINNER, aND SOLLUX IS ON HIS COMPUTER,  
CG: SO HE IS. HE’S ACTUALLY TROLLING ME NOW.  
CG: HUH.  
CG: YOU’RE HIS MOIRAIL. HOW POWERFUL WOULD YOU SAY HIS PSIONICS ARE?  
AT: i’M GOING TO SAY, uH, pRETTY STRONG,  
AT: hE CARRIED MY CAR OVER A TRAFFIC JAM, oNCE, wE WERE IN IT AT THE TIME,  
AT: uH, wHY,  
CG: HE’S THREATENING TO BLOW UP MY COMPUTER IF I HURT YOU. STANDARD MOIRAIL STUFF.  
AT: oH, rIGHT,  
AT: hE DOESN’T ACTUALLY NEED PSIONICS, tO DO THAT, hE’LL JUST SEND YOU A VIRUS,  
AT: yOU’D HAVE TO DO SOMETHING REALLY, rEALLY BAD FOR HIM TO, uH, bOTHER WITH PSIONICS,  
CG: HOW BAD?  
AT: pROBABLY, uH, rAPE ME, oR SOMETHING,  
CG: GOOD THING I DON’T PLAN ON DOING THAT, THEN.  
AT: iT’S REALLY ARADIA YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT, iF YOU ARE, uH, wORRYING,  
AT: sHE’S A RUSTBLOOD, aND REALLY POWERFUL,  
CG: WITH THE SPOOKY GHOST SHIT, YOU MEAN?  
AT: yES,  
CG: GOOD TO KNOW, I GUESS.  
CG: YOU GUYS ARE ALL DEFINITELY MOIRAILS, NOW?  
AT: oH, yES,  
AT: wE’RE GOING ON OUR FIRST OFFICIAL PALE DATE, oN FRIDAY,  
AT: i MEAN, wE’VE HAD DATES BEFORE, i GUESS, bUT I’M ACTUALLY AWARE THAT THIS ONE IS A DATE,  
AT: aRADIA WANTS US TO DRESS UP, aND SOLLUX ACTUALLY AGREED,  
AT: iT SHOULD BE NICE,  
CG: THERE BETTER BE PICTURES.  
AT: yES, i THINK WE CAN, uH, tRUST ARADIA TO HANDLE THAT,  
AT: aRE YOU OKAY, yOU SEEM KIND OF, uH, sUBDUED,  
AT: oH, aRE YOU STILL TALKING TO SOLLUX,  
CG: YEAH.  
CG: KICK HIM FOR ME, WOULD YOU?  
AT: i DON’T THINK I WILL, aCTUALLY,  
CG: DAMMIT. WELL, I’LL JUST DO IT NEXT TIME I SEE HIM.  
CG: I’VE BEEN LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF MY OLD LOGS OF CHATS WITH GAMZEE.  
AT: wHAT WAS IN THEM,  
CG: A WHOLE LOT OF NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS.  
AT: wOW, uH, oKAY,  
AT: yOU BROUGHT IT UP,  
CG: SORRY, YOU’RE RIGHT.  
CG: I DID BRING IT UP.  
CG: I GUESS BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT. THE IDEAL PERSON WOULD, OF COURSE, BE MY FUCKING MOIRAIL, BUT HE’S KIND OF THE FUCKING PROBLEM.  
AT: yEAH, i CAN SEE HOW THAT WOULD BE, lESS THAN GREAT,  
CG: CAN YOU REALLY?  
AT: i MIGHT NOW KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL, bECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN YOUR SITUATION, bUT I CAN TELL IT SUCKS,  
CG: I HOPE YOU NEVER ARE IN MY SITUATION. IT DOES SUCK.  
AT: dID SOMETHING IN THE CHAT LOGS, uPSET YOU,  
CG: KIND OF?  
CG: NOT THE LOGS THEMSELVES. THEY’RE FINE.  
CG: IT’S MORE THAT THEY ARE FINE THAT’S THE PROBLEM. I MEAN, THERE’S ME, WITH MY USUAL EMOTIONALLY STUNTED HORSESHIT. AND THERE’S HIM, WITH HIS OBLIGATORY WEIRD CLOWN BULLSHIT. SO IT SHOULD BE A TOTAL MESS, IS WHAT I’M SAYING.  
CG: BUT IT WASN’T.  
CG: IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY GREAT.  
CG: EVEN LONG DISTANCE, WE MADE IT WORK.  
AT: lONG DISTANCE,  
CG: WE MET ON A TWO WEEK BIRTHRIGHT TRIP TO ALTERNIA IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE LIVED LIKE SEVEN HOURS AWAY. WE WERE ONLY ON THE SAME TRIP BECAUSE THE ONE I ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP FOR GOT FUCKING CANCELLED.  
CG: SO OF COURSE I THOUGHT IT SERENDIPITY. THAT TRIP WAS CANCELLED BECAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET HIM.  
CG: AND THEN WE BOTH GOT IN HERE AND, WITH HIS GRADES? IT HAD TO BE SERENDIPITY. THERE WAS NO OTHER EXPLANATION.  
CG: LOOK WHERE THAT GOT ME.  
AT: wELL, mAYBE IT WAS,  
CG: SERENDIPITY WANTS TO MAKE ME COMPLETELY FUCKING MISERABLE? THAT’S ACTUALLY A THEORY I HAVE GIVEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO BUT I DIDN’T EXPECT YOU TO BE EXPOUNDING IT.  
AT: wHAT I MEAN IS, mEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS DON’T HAVE TO BE ETERNAL,  
AT: pEOPLE CAN ENRICH EACHOTHER’S LIVES FOR A FEW YEARS, oR DECADES, aND THEN GROW APART,  
AT: i THINK THAT’S NORMAL,  
AT: mE AND MY HIGHSCHOOL GIRLFRIEND BROKE UP, wHEN WE WENT TO DIFFERENT COLLEGES, aND THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP WASN’T MEANINGFUL, jUST THAT IT WAS TEMPORARY, aND THAT’S NOT NECESSARILY, a BAD THING,  
AT: kARKAT,  
AT: aRE YOU THERE,  
CG: WERE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME CRY, PIGFUCKER?  
AT: oH, nO, i’M SORRY, }:(  
CG: DON’T FROWNY FACE AT ME, YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING.  
CG: FUCK.  
CG: I NEED TO BREAK UP WITH GAMZEE.  
AT: wAIT, i DIDN’T, uH, sAY THAT,  
CG: YES YOU DID.  
CG: AND YOU’RE RIGHT.  
CG: THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH.  
carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling adiosTodeador [AT] 


End file.
